


Laundry Day and Gummy Sharks

by Rainewritesfanfics



Category: Lovely Complex (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Banter, Drama, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Idiots in Love, Marriage Proposal, Umibozu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:35:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27092137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainewritesfanfics/pseuds/Rainewritesfanfics
Summary: Otani has been trying to find the perfect way to propose to Risa. Just when his plans fall into place, fate may have other, sillier ideas.
Relationships: Koizumi Risa/Ootani Atsushi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	Laundry Day and Gummy Sharks

**Author's Note:**

> I recently rewatched and reread Lovely Complex and ahhhh! These two are so stupid and precious. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this! It was really fun to write their conversations.

“Seriously, Otani!” Nobu was screeching over the line. “If you don’t hurry up and marry my darling Risa, you just might lose her! You guys have been dating for eight years! What are you waiting for?”

“Now, Nobu, dear,” came Nakao’s voice in the background. He was always the calm to his wife’s storm. “Otani loves Risa. I’m sure they’ll get married when they’re ready.”

Otani drummed his fingers on the desk, just barely able to hear Risa singing along to some anime theme song in the other room. She wasn’t good, but she wasn’t half-bad, either.

In spite of the scolding he was currently getting, a smile split his lips. Risa was such a dork. His dork. The only one who could pull on his heartstrings like that.

“OTANI!!” Nobu shrilled. “You hear me!?”

He winced, banging his elbow on the desk when he jolted. “Ow, yeah, I hear ya. Loud and clear.”

In the background, he heard Nakao saying “Nobu, try not to stress yourself, dear. It’s not good for the baby.”

Nobu sighed, taking deep breaths. “Look. There had better be a ring on that girl’s finger by the next time I see you two, or so help me...”

“I ain’t proposin’ just ‘cause you told me to,” Otani grumbled. 

“You want to spend the rest of your life with her, don’t you?” Nobu sounded dangerously calm now.

“...Yeah... but,” Otani swallowed, shoving his hand in his pocket as he shifted the cell to his other hand. “But I’ll do it my way.”

Nobu was silent for a moment. “Alright,” she said at last. “But I expect you to propose before I have this baby, you hear?”

Otani snorted, rolling his eyes, though she couldn’t see him. “What does that give me? Five months?”

“Four.”

“Four it is,” Otani relented. 

“Otani...”

“Yeah?”

“For the record, I really think you guys are meant to be. I know she’ll say yes.”

Otani felt his cheeks warm. “Thank, I guess,” he muttered, abashed. “Did she say that?”

“Oh, wow, would you looks at the time!” Nobu said evasively. “I have an appointment, bye Otani!”

“Oy—“ 

But it was too late, she’d already hung up on him. 

“Geez, chewin’ me out like that,” he griped, rubbing his head. “Like I need tellin’.”

He reached into his pocket, pulling out the ring box. He’d been carrying it for weeks, waiting for the right moment. The right way. Some divine inspiration to tell him that this was the day, the place, the moment, to propose.

Flipping the lid open, he stared at the ring.

He was a teacher. She was a stylist. 

His budget wasn’t all that big, and he knew that she worked with jewelry all the time, so he knew he’d needed to get something special. 

Risa was, after all, unique. No one in the world could make him laugh, or lose his temper, or feel sick with worry quite the way she could. They really were 100% compatible, just as the fortune-telling machine had said a decade ago. 

Otani smiled.

He had opted for a second-hand ring because thrift-shopping had become a Sunday ritual after high school. One of them would catch a train, and they’d meet up for a date of lunch and shopping whenever his homework, her vocational work, and their bank accounts allowed for it.

Otani smiled at the ring, turning it in the light. He had spotted it at the jeweler’s when he’d accompanied Risa to pick up a loan item for a shoot almost a month ago. 

As soon as he’d laid eyes on the gold band with its little diamond set into a five-pointed star, he’d known. 

It wasn’t flashy or traditional, but it suited her. Subtly dazzling and a little unorthodox.

Trying to figure out her ring size had been an adventure of its own.

After a week or so of trying— and failing— to gauge it when they held hands, he finally gave up and called Nakao to ask how he had done it for Nobu. 

Suzuki, who was visiting Nakao, had overheard and reminded Otani that Risa already owned rings. 

He’d felt pretty dumb as he tucked one of her black, acrylic rings into his pocket and stopped by the shop after the school-day, when he knew she was working late on a shoot.

By some stroke of luck or fate, the rings were the same size. 

Now, the ring sat in its little blue box, waiting for him to feel that the time was right.

He knew she was the one. The only one for him. For all the drama and jealousy and insecurities they’d faced over the years, they had come out on top, more in love than ever.

“Yo, Otani!”

He jumped, shoving the ring box into his pocket.

“What is it, ya dope?” he asked, flustered, as he spun his chair to face her.

Risa was too giddy to rise to the bait. She was grinning, and his heart flipped just a little. “Guess what!”

“You finally remembered recycling day?” Otani guessed, knowing that wasn’t it.

“Wha— oh, shoot! That’s what I forgot this morning!” She pouted.

He laughed. “What is it, for real?”

“Oh, yeah! Umibozu is gonna be doing another concert here!”

Otani pushed himself up from the desk, his eyes just as sparkly as hers. “No way!”

“Yes way!”

“We’re going for sure!” He glanced at the laptop, his fingers already twitching. “I’ll buy the tickets.”

“Yeah!” Risa pumped her fist in the air. “I already checked, we don’t have anything on the calendar that night.”

Otani laughed, pushing his reading glasses up like a headband. “God, when did we start being adults?”

“Legally or mentally?” she teased. 

“Legally. You’re still totally a six year old most days.”

She stuck her tongue out at him. “You should know, Mr. Otani, sir,” she snarked in a disconcertingly childish voice.

He shuddered. “Gross.”

She flicked his forehead. “Is that any way to talk to your girlfriend?”

“It’s how I talk to mine,” he retorted, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” she muttered, patting his head.

Otani snorted into her chest. “How dare you.”

She giggled, pressing a kiss the top of his head. “How’s it going with grading papers?”

He groaned.

“That well, huh?”

Leaning back, he sighed. “They definitely did not understand fractions.” He sent the stack of math tests a baleful look.

“Well, dinner is almost ready.”

She slipped from his arms and headed back toward the door.

“Risa,” he called, swallowing his nerves.

She froze, her warm brown eyes wide when she glanced back at him. “Risa? I thought... um... yes?”

He slumped, his cheeks pinking. “Koizumi still feels more natural, but I can’t call you that forever. We live together, and all.”

Risa’s surprise softened into a gentle smile. She was back in front of him with just a few steps. It was unfair, he thought, that her stride was so much longer. 

She cupped his chin and leaned down to kiss him. Just a peck, light and sweet.

“I love you, Atsushi,” she murmured.

His blush flared dark and red across his cheeks. He wanted to bury his face in her shirt, but she was still holding his chin.

After a moment, she snickered.

“What!?” he demanded.

“You’re right, it does still feel kinda weird to call you by first name.”

And then the oven timer was going off, and he was alone, dazed, and flushed. His heart was racing. He groaned to himself, dragging his hands down his face.

She could wreck him so damn easily. It wasn’t fair.

Later that night, as he bought the Umibozu tickets, an idea began to form. The perfect proposal for his girl.

He dug through his address book, looking for one contact in particular.

....

Risa was humming to herself as she sorted laundry a few weeks later. 

After working a photoshoot the night before, she had slept until almost noon. Otani had left her a plate of food in the fridge, and she had thanked all the gods— and Otani, via text— that she did not have to cook first thing.

Now that she’d eaten, done the dishes, vacuumed the apartment, and caught up on emails, she’d set about to do laundry. She silently— and not-so-silently— cursed the chore wheel. 

At least Otani was in charge of grocery-shopping this week. She really did not want to leave the apartment today.

“Geez,” she muttered, looking at their overflowing hamper. “You’d think this was a frat house.”

All of the events she had to dress for, coupled with Otani’s work clothes and gym clothes meant that their lime green hamper was almost always full, if not overflowing.

Rolling up her sleeves, Risa knelt down to begin sorting through the clothes.

“Delicates...darks....oh, that’s where this skirt was!”

After the hamper had been neatly divided, she glanced around the bedroom, picking up a few discarded socks. 

On Otani’s side of the bed, she slipped on a pair of pants, yelping as she face planted on the mattress. “Wah!”

Pushing herself up on her elbows, she glared accusingly at the bunched up black denim.

Upon closer inspection, she realized these were the pants he had laid out for the Umibozu concert tomorrow.

“Huh, I guess they fell off his chair.”

She scooped the pants off the floor, pausing when she realized there was something in the pocket.

“Oh no! Did he leave his wallet?”

She shoved her hand into the pocket frantically. Her fingers closed around something.

“Wait? Velvet?” 

She pulled item out and found herself staring down at a ring box. 

“Oh...” She blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice. 

The ring box was still in her palm.

“Is this!—“ She cut herself off, laughing. “No way.... unless....”

“Yo! Koizumi, I’m home!”

Her eyes widened. “Eek!” She shoved the ring box into her pocket in a panic. 

“W-welcome home!”

She hurried to the kitchen as he set down the groceries.

“Whatcha got that dumb look on your face for?” Otani prodded, smacking the back of her head with a leek.

She sneered. “What are you talking about? This is my natural radiance.”

“Ugh, there’s the fish face.”

She jammed her elbow into his ribs. “Stupid shrimp.”

“Ow! You awful amazon.”

Risa laughed at his glare. “Okay, okay. What did you want for dinner, tonight?”

“Tch. I bought the ingredients for curry.”

Her nose scrunched.

“What’s with that face!?”

“Ugh, I just remembered something awful.”

Otani smacked her with the leek again. “Can’t be as awful as the face you’re wearin’. Now hurry up and help me with the damn groceries.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” Risa said, giving a mock salute.

“Are you sassing me, woman?”

“Always,” she shot back, winking as she stacked the cans in their pantry.

He rolled his eyes, though she didn’t miss the twitch of his lips.

While she began cooking, Otani took the time to shower and change.

Risa heard footsteps behind her, but she still jumped when his arms wrapped around her waist. He pressed his face against her back, nuzzling the space between her shoulder blades.

“O-Otani?”

He sighed. “I’m tired.”

Risa reached down and squeezed his hands with her free one. “Rough day?”

He whined.

“Yeah, I feel that,” she murmured as she stirred the curry.

“Your shoot last night?” he asked.

“A rougher one,” she admitted. “The project switched directors at the last minute, so he wanted a completely different feel for the set and the models.”

Otani kissed her shoulder through the t-shirt. He was silent for a moment. “One of the kids picked a fight today. When I dug into the issue, turns out his father just walked out on them.” He fisted his hands in her sweater. “I felt so useless as he was bawling.”

“Even the amazing Otani-sensei can’t fix every problem,” Risa said gently, turning in his arms and leaning down to press their foreheads together. “Just be kind, listen, and keep an eye out for the kid.” She kissed his furrowed brow. “If the kid’s got one less male role model, it’s even more important for you to show him what a good guy is like.”

Otani laughed softly. “Who are you, and what have you done with my girlfriend?”

“Brat,” she muttered without any heat.

“You’re right, though,” he admitted. “I can’t fix this, but I can be there for the kid.”

Risa’s lips curled up. “Mhmm. And you have plenty of experience watching people cry, so you don’t freak out anymore.”

“If by ‘people’ you mean yourself, then yeah, I’ve got a lifetime of experience.” He stepped away to grab plates and utensils. “You always bawl like a fire hose.”

“Rude,” she grumbled, serving the rice and curry so he could carry the food to their table.

When they sat down, she could feel the ring box in her pocket again. The rounded edges of the box dug into her thigh. 

“Hey, Otani?”

“Mm?” he hummed around a mouthful of food.

“Have you ever thought about getting married?”

He choked, his face going blue as he hacked a series of deep coughs. “W-what?”

She frowned, pushing her curry with her spoon. “Y’know. Getting married. To me.”

“Who’d want to marry you?” he groused, still coughing.

“Well, fine!” she snapped, standing so quickly that her chair tipped backward. It clattered awkwardly on the floor, but she was too upset to worry about their downstairs neighbors. “Who’d want to marry a twerp like you, anyway? Not me!”

“Koizumi,” he called after her. “Hey, Koizumi, c’mon.

She stomped to their bedroom and slammed the door.

She threw herself on the bed and tried reel in how pathetic she felt. Why was she mad at him? Yes, he was being an ass. But she knew he was startled and that he always said the wrong things when he got flustered. But still...

A knock came at the door. 

“Go away,” she grumbled. 

He ignored her and padded into the bedroom anyway. “Koizumi.”

“Go away.”

He sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. She turned away, curling around a pillow.

“Risa,” he tried instead, forcing her name out despite the blush creeping up his cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s not fair,” she whispered, finally turning to scowl at him.

He wiped her tears away with his thumbs. “Yeah, it’s not fair.” He paused. “I didn’t mean what I said,” he muttered, his blush darkening. 

“Which part?”

He flustered, unable to meet her eye. “The, um, part about marrying you.”

She pushed the blankets off slowly and sat up. “Otani?”

“Yeah?”

“I found something while I was doing laundry.”

He turned to her, baffled. “What does that have to do with this?”

She pulled the box from her pocket and set it on the sheets between their knees.

Otani grew pale. “Oh,” he squeaked.

“I haven’t opened it,” Risa blurted. “I’m so sorry! Your pants were on the floor and I almost died slipping on them, and then I found the box in your pocket.”

He dragged his hands down his face. “So that’s what this was about.” He took a deep breath and glared half-heartedly. “You found a ring box and then had the nerve to ask if I wanted to marry you?”

She flicked his nose. “And then you had the audacity to say no.”

“You can’t just ask me that kind of thing,” he griped. He scratched the back of his head. “This isn’t what I was planning.”

“Were you going to propose tomorrow?”

He nodded, just once.

“I can, uh, pretend to be surprised tomorrow,” she suggested.

Otani snorted. “No, you dope.” He picked up the ring box and took a deep, steadying breath. 

Risa froze, her eyes growing wide. “O-Otani...”

He took her hand and smiled. “Listen up, ‘kay? I won’t say this mushy stuff twice.”

She nodded, hiding her open mouth behind her free hand. 

“Hey! Don’t start crying before I even propose!”

“S-sorry.”

He rolled his eyes and laughed. “I never thought I’d end up with a girl taller than me, let alone such a crybaby. And you never expected to fall for such a charming shrimp, I know,” he began, pausing to dab at her watery eyes with his sleeve. “But you and me? We really are 100% compatible. That stupid fortune telling machine was right all along.”

She laughed, a little breathless.

“I’ve never had as much fun with someone as I do when I’m with you,” he said. “You really piss me off sometimes, and you get me so riled up. But my heart, well, it’s yours, Koizumi. It has been for longer than I knew.”

She giggled as he stared slightly past her, unable to meet her eye as he said all of this. His cheeks were warm and red, and his brows were furrowed, but he persisted. Their eyes met.

“What I’m tryin’ to say is, I’m no good without you. Risa, will you marry me?”

He opened the ring box, revealing a gold band with a small, shimmering, star-shaped center. 

“Oh,” she breathed.

He squirmed as she stared at the ring. “Well?” he nearly snapped.

“Oh! Right! Yes!”

“Yes?”

She nodded, her hair bouncing. “Yes, Otani, yes, yes, yes! I want to marry you.” She grabbed his collar and pulled him into a kiss.

He squawked in surprise before closing his eyes to match her energetic lips.

There really was no one else who could make his heart race like this.

When she pulled back, they were both breathless and grinning.

He took her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. “You’re stuck with me now,” he teased.

“And there’s no one else I’d rather be stuck with,” she said sweetly, nuzzling their noses together.

Risa stared at the ring. Her lips crooked into a soft smile. “I love it.”

“I saw it and thought of you.” He stood up and offered her a hand.

She beamed up at him, and he couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss her again.

“My fiancé,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

He flushed. “Man, there’s no escaping the gooey sentimental stuff with you, is there?”

“Nope!” She took the offered hand and got to her feet. “Now let’s go reheat our plates.”

“Thank god,” he said, patting his stomach. “I’m starving.”

...

“Otani!” she called, running toward him. 

He rolled his eyes as she stopped, panting, before him. “You’re late.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, palms pressed together and head down in penance. “The shoot ran overtime.”

He sighed, scratching his head. “Well, I guess that’s not your fault.” He slipped his hand into hers. “C’mon, we’re late for the dinner reservation.”

“Ooh, fancy,” she teased as she straightened her polka-dotted blouse.

Once they were seated, Risa openly ogled her fiancé. He was wearing a button down and blazer. His tie was crooked, though.

“What’re you lookin’ at?”

“How handsome you are tonight,” she said honestly.

He blushed. “What do you mean, ‘tonight’? I’m always handsome.”

She nodded. “Yep! The handsomest!”

“You, um, look pretty, too,” he said quietly.

“Thanks!”

Risa finally looked over the menu, her eyes immediately landing on the most outrageous drink on the kid’s side of the menu.

“Tropical raspberry shark attack?!”

Otani grinned. “That’s part of why I picked this place. I’ve been wanting to try that, and you’re always copying my drink order.”

“There’s gummy sharks in the soda!” she said, positively delighted.

“Mhmm!”

They happily ordered two of the sugar-coma inducing concoction when their server returned.

“Ah! It’s so good!” Risa crowed as the raspberry and pineapple hit her tongue.

Otani stuck out his blue-dyed tongue. “Stop bein’ so loud, ya goof!”

“Whoops,” she said, slamming her hand over her mouth. “Sorry,” she said to the affronted couple in the neighboring booth.

Dinner with them could never be a quiet affair, but luckily, aside from a dispute about who got to eat the last croquette, they didn’t disturb too many people.

The concert venue wasn’t far from the restaurant, so they walked hand-in-hand, humming Umibozu’s latest album.

Otani seemed to grow a little quieter and almost anxious as they neared the amphitheater.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. All good.”

She placed the back of her hand against his forehead, and he swatted it away.

“No fever,” she said.

“Of course not.”

She stared at him like he was a puzzle. 

“I’m fine, I swear, now let’s go.”

“Well excuse me for worrying,” she muttered.

He sighed. “You remember how I was going to propose today? Well, there’s a surprise...”

Her eyes glittered. “A surprise?”

“C’mon,” he said, tugging her hand. “You’ll see.”

Instead of entering the front of the venue like the rest of the crowd, Otani led her around to the back, giving their names to a bouncer.

A familiar lady was waiting at the door for them. It took a moment for Risa to place her. “Mrs. Umibozu!”

The woman laughed. “Welcome, Miss Koizumi and Mr. Otani. It’s good to see you again.” She looked at Risa’s left hand, and her smile widened. “I see congratulations are in order! Please, follow me.”

Risa looked at her fiancé. He gave her a bashful grin as they followed the woman to a dressing room.

She knocked on the door, “Darling,” she called through the door. “I’ve brought some guests.”

Risa squeaked, squeezing Otani’s arm. “No way!”

“Come on in,” said Umibozu.

The door opened, and then—

“CONGRATULATIONS!”

Risa gasped, her eyes filling with tears.

Umibozu was standing there, flanked by all of their friends.

Kohori, Abe, Seiko, and Haruka were on one side, while Chiharu, Suzuki, Nakao, and even the heavily pregnant Nobu stood on the the other.

Yoshii and Akechin were even there, standing with Mimi and Risa’s brother by the dressing room mirrors.

“It’s about time you two idiots got engaged!”

“Congrats!”

“Never thought Otani had it in him.”

“Congrats, my dudes,” said Umibozu.

Risa was crying as everyone clapped and voiced their congratulations. Even Haruka and Mimi had set aside their usual antagonistic habits.

“You did all this for me?” Risa asked.

Otani nodded, failing to hide his blush. “Yeah. I’m not big on the mushy stuff, but I know it’s important to you.”

She kissed his cheek, making his blush go even darker. “Thank you, Otani. This is the best engagement ever!”

He sighed, smiling as he pushed her toward their friends. “Good, now go see everyone.”

The next hour before the concert was spent catching up with everyone. Mrs. Umibozu, along with Haruka and Seiko, served snacks and drinks. 

Nobu allowed Risa and Otani the honor of feeling the baby kick.

Nakao took plenty of pictures.

Mimi sighed as she sipped her juice. She and Otani watched as Risa dramatically re-enacted the proposal for Chiharu and Suzuki. “I still have a soft spot for you, At-chan,” Mimi said, “But she suits you best.”

Otani grinned. “I think so, too.”

Takato ruffled Otani’s hair. “Take care of my sister.”

“She’s a handful,” Otani said with a little smirk.

“Good thing you have two hands, then, Shrimp,” Haruka retorted.

“Ugh. Why did I even invite you to this thing?”

Seiko popped over, slipping her arm through Haruka’s. “Hey, you promised to behave.”

Haruka pouted. “Though it pains me to say, I am giving up on my darling Risa.”

Otani looked at Seiko. “I don’t know how you put up with him.”

She laughed. “I don’t know, either.”

Before the concert began, Yoshii managed to catch both Risa and Otani at the same time. 

“You two were my first friends,” he said. “Until junior high, I never bothered making friends because of how often I moved. Now, I can’t imagine how different my life would have been if Otani hadn’t punched me or Koizumi hadn’t made me laugh.” Risa and Otani looked abashed.

Yoshii continued. “You guys broke down my walls. And I know you’ve done the same for others. Congratulations.”

“We owe our happiness to you two,” said Akechin as she slipped her hand into Yoshii’s.

Yoshii smiled. “I’m glad that my taste for Umibozu ended up leading you two to each other. There’s no one else I can imagine my first friends being with other than each other.”

Risa started crying all over again, and even Otani teared up. 

“Thanks, man.”

“You really are the best,” Risa added. “I’m glad we met you.”

Umibozu draped an arm over Risa and another over Otani. “Are you dudes ready to rock?”

“Yeah!”

Risa squeezed Otani’s hand, and together, they joined their friends in the front row.

She knew, as he squeezed back, that this is where they were meant to be: at each other’s side.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story! Please let me know if you had a favorite scene or line!


End file.
